Transfer-printing.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES ALEXANDER MCKERROW, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T JOHN H. GILLETT & SONS, LIMITED, 015 CHORLEY, ENGLAND.

TRANSFER-PRINTING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ALEXANDER- MoKERnow, of 56 Ramillies road, Bedford Park, in the city and county of London, England, consulting chemist, have invented new and useful Improvements in Transfer- Printing, of which the following is a Specification.

In the process of transfer printing as at present carried out, the design to be transferred is first printed upon a carrying body,

such as paper, and then subsequently transferred to the textile or other fabric by the application of heat and sli ht pressure. \Vith this method, the printing materials employed for the design generally comprise resins or waxes and suitable pigments, the

former melting by the application of heat and, on account of their stickiness, enabling the design to be discharged upon and to adhere to the fabric with which it is brought into contact.

It is generally found necessary in the printing of the designs upon the paper or other carrying body prior to their transfer to the fabric, to employ heated printing surfaces, such as plates or cylinders, for maintaining the resins, or waxes and pigments sufficiently fluid and, further, in the formation of the design upon the printing surface, to engrave the latter rather deeply, so that when the printing of the design upon paper has been effected, the materials of the design will. stand out in relief. It is impossible, however, by the aforesaid method to produce more than an outline of a design, the latter being then completed by embroidery work in cotton, silk or other materials of the desired shades.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and efficient method of transfer printing by which the most elaborate designs in any desired number of colors can be satisfactorily dealt with in an economical manner.

My invention comprises the process of transfer printing hereinafter described.

I employ as the carrying body, upon which the design is printed prior to being transferred, paper or other suitable material, the surface of which has been rendered impermeable to the passage of wax or other material hereinafter referred to, or which has been provided with an impermeable surface, in any convenient manner. The said sur- Patented July 2, 1 912.

Application filed January 3, 1911. Serial No. 600,566.

face may be provided by applying to the paper a non-fusible composition comprising a solution of glue with bichroxnate of potash, alum, starch, French chalk and precipitated calcium sulfate, but I may employ anv other suitable and ordinary materials for tlie same purpose. Upon the said impermeable surface, I apply a covering or coating of a suitable material or materials which are melted by heat. For example, the covering or coating may consist of resin and varnish, or of a composition of bees Wax, Japan wax, and

paraffin wax, reduced if necessary by suitable solvents to the required thickness or consistency; but I may employ any other suitable material to form the said covering. The surface of the latter is perfectly smooth and even, and is adapted to receive the design to be printed and subsequently transferred to a textile or other material. I One mixture which I find suitable for givmg the paper an impermeable surface co.n sists of :2 oz. gelatin, 20 oz. water, oz. alum pot-ash, oz. bichromate of potash, 1 oz. glycerin. The mixture in fluid condi tion is put on to the paper by an ordinary coating machine. The coated paper is then allowed to dry and the surface hardens.

The wax or fusible layer may have the following composition :20 oz. coal naphtha,

2 oz. Japan wax, 2 oz. gum thus, 1 oz. white shellac. surface of the paper by an ordinary coating machine.

In the printing of the design upon the. Wax or like surface aforesaid I employ lithw graphic, off-set or other level or prac tically level surfaces to which the required designs have been applied in the ordinary manner. The printing is effected in the same manner as the printing of paper and the designs employed may be of the same nature and in the colors ordinarily adopted in paper printing. I may if desired employ in the printing process inks or colors which dry on the surface immediately after printing, so that the said inks or colors shall not affect or be affected by the wax or other material beneath. The essential feature of th" printing process is that the printing plates or their equivalent shall not penetrate or cut into the wax or other material and so print the designs upon the impermeable surface, butv shall apply the designs upon the surface of the wax.

It is applied to the impcrnicablo' therefrom and adhere to or become fixed upon the'textile fabric.

if desired the design can be provided with an adhesive coating which melts by heat, to

assist the design in attaching itself to the fabric during the transfer process. Said adhesive coating may be formed iirone convenient manner by printing a varnish upon the design and dusting resin thereon. I may, however, employ any other suitable coating.

It will be understood that the wax or intermediate layer when softened cannot soak into or be absorbed by the carrying body on account of its impermeable surface.

By my improved method, I can reproduce h a transfer process the most elaborate designs in any variety of colors. My process is particularly advantageous for use in the marking of textiles with trade or other marks, as by means thereof notonly can the complex markings be economically and effeetively produced, but I obviate the employment of gum and other adhesive usually employed for securing labels, printed with marks, upon the goods and avoid'all chance of damage to the latter due to mildew caused by the moisture or damp used in securing the labels in place.

My process of transfer printing can be employed with advantage in all cases in which transfer printing is at present in use and in all cases where it is desired to permanently place a design or mark upon a material.

I may if desired print a color coating over the whole of the wax or the like, after print ing the design, so as to prevent the wax or like material marking the fabric to which the design is transferred. Or, a surround or border may be pro 'v 'ided for the design to cover the portion of the wax or the like not occupied by the design.

Having now described my invention what' I claim as new and desire to secure bv Letters Patent is: u 1. The process of producing transfers for use Ill transfer printing by heat alone. consisting in providing a support or carrying body with a surface impermeable to wax, coating the said surface with an easily melting material, and printing a design upon said coating by means of surface printing. as set forth. I

2. The process of producing transfers for use in transfer printing by heat alone, consisting in providing a support or carrying body with a surface impermeable to wax, coating said surface with an easily melting material, printing a design upon said coat ing by level printing surfaces, and dusting a resinous substance over said design, as set forth.

3. The process of producing transfers for u se in transfer printing by heat alone, colisisting in providing paper with a non-fusi ble surface impermeable to wax, coating said surface with an easily melting material, printing a design upon said coating by lithographic means, and printing a color coating over said design, as set forth.

4. The process of producing transfers for u se in transfer printing by heat alone, consisting in providing paper with a coating contalning biehromate of potash and alum pot-ash, covering said coating with a fusible layer containing gum thus and white shellac, and then printing on said covering bv level. printing surfaces, as set forth. V

In testimony whereof I have signed my na1ne to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ALEXANDER MCKERROW.

Witnesses:

H. D. JAMEsoN, C. P. LIDDON. 

